Herald and news., July 17, 1946, Page 5, Image 5

j VraMD Nim, Hlemalk relit, Oft. WIDNIIDAT, July II, INI, fee fit
STORY OF FAMED KLAMATH HOSTELRY
White Pelican Brings Back Flood
Of Memories To Many Old
Time Basin Residents
By LOIS STEWART
Olilllniris still talk about the
While I'rlleun hulel.
It Monti ut Ilia corner of Mulu
nnii Ksplanaile from December,
lllll, until Urn swept through
tin' alrut'ttiic the lulu uflern l
of Saturday, October IU, 11I2U.
Tlio uilugo Hint wlmt you hnvo
you (I. m I appreciate, did not
hold true. Kluiuath Kulln was
proud uf tin- Whlto Pelican
hotel nnd there wun a genuine
feeling of sadness lot scores
ktood hy nnd iuw Ilia walls
ci limbic.
Said tha Klamath News the
next moriilnii:
"Tlio Whili! Pelican hotel, the
tint building tu hc-rulti the
kiowth of Kliiniatli Falls, was
mouldering muss of twisted
sttel and bluckened stone and
brick luM night m the remit of
tin fire which totally dentroyed
the $400,000 edifice yesterday.
Upon the ashes of whnt wus
The While Pelican hotel, tha
limit funiculi hostelry of South
ern Oregon, will Tine a modern
mid muKiilflccnt building thut
will continue the mime of The
While Pelican nnd nil Unit It
tneunl to tha tourists anil busi
ness men with whom the old
hostelry wus by-word."
Never Hebullt
Hut The White I'ellcan wan
never rebuilt and Klumuth Kelt
hue iieen nothing in the way of
hotel In equiil It.
The disastrous fire of 102(1
broke out In the basement of the
hostelry a un enituieer repaired
broken uminoniu line. Later
moke wus detected and In a
inatter of minutes flume swept
through the two elevator shafts
which erved great auction
pipes.
Hope Kilbourue wan Ihe man
aiter of the hotel at the time It
burned. T. I". Henderson wan
the Klamath representative of
the Flrischharkqr Interests and
the Klumath Development com
pany and It was he who made
the statement that tha company
planned to rebuild the hotel
The history of The While
Pelican hotel ii the history of
the Klamath country.
First rumblings of Klamath
Falls' development from the
real estate angle is noted In the
October 20, 1000 Issue of The
F.venlng Herald. Said W. O.
Smith, editor:
"Has the long lull In the real
ty market of this city been
simply the quietness that pre
cedes storm? One of the prin
cipal agencies causing this
change Is the work that is being
done by the Hot Springs com
pany. Another factor is the
awakening of some of Ihe real
estate men themselves. For the
past two years they have been
In lethargy. Some of them
have awnkened to Ihe fact that
It is thelr'turn to move. Others
will continue in their state of
Innocuous desuetude or hang
around the edges grabbing what
they can filch from their enter
prising competitors. Klamnth
Falls Is recognized throughout
f - r -- 0fmKmfFf'lii k'.i'.'vmyi'f-vt'-tv'si'
" -4" " ..,422- : Pi
liiSiil ill B I-
The evening of January 14, 1914, saw a gay party In progress In The White Pelican ball
room when Mrs, E, B. Hall was hostess at a ' "suffragette party" for women only up until
10 p. m. Then the men started to arrive, all garbed in some sort of feminine attire. Many of
those in the picture are still making their homes in Klamath Falls,
fe i'lf- .
mm m am Va a r mr n m-mttm i cra Mat .. siswaprVeBmi . .11 t
'mm ! w
the coast as tho City of Des
tiny." Almost nine months later, In
the July 7, 1910 issue of the
suine puper appiured tho first
uccouiil of tha hotel's construc
tion. 'Ground wus broken this
morning on the new liolc l thut
Ik to be erected at Ihe Junction
ol Muln street and the Knplii
unite, Under the direction of
J. L. Cuniiinghiim, who hus the
contract for tha building, It)
lu-ud of horses wnru sturled on
tun work of excuvullng for the
bioiement." There followed a de
scription of the Motel but Ihe
iiuinu, "While Pelicun," did not
appeur. I'liins and specifications
were prepared tiy lien Me
Doiigul of Sun Fruiielscii unci a
perspective was on exhibition in
tha office of the Hotel Livcr
moru. On July 12. 1010, residents of
the city were being assured
that another fine hostelry would
be under construction Immedi
ately -this time at the other cud
of town. Plans for a 100-room
hotel at 3rd and Muln, complete
with Turkish buth, cold storage
plum and refrlgerullng sy.-Uni,
were explained to the public.
On the ground floor will be a
lurge bunking room, The Herald
reported, with two systems of
vuiills, one fur a safely deposit
business and the other for the
use of the bank itself. The pro
posed structure was also to in
clude two dining rooms with a
"lobby embellished with scugli
oU columns with gold cups unci
wuiiiscotting of marble." The
hotel was to cost around $100,.
UO0 including some CI0.0U0 for
furniture for the four-story
structure.
White Pelican Named
In the meantime, work con
tinued at the oilier end of Klum
ath Falls on The White Pelican.
The next May the name of the
hotel was announced and rend
ers of The Herald of May 12,
1UI1. read this thrilling story:
The complete plans and spe
cifiratlons for The White Pell
can hotel, which is being erect
ed at tho corner of Minn and
Ksplanade. were received yes
terday, The building will have
a frontage on Muln street of
151 i feet and 144 fret on Ks
planade. The concrete founda
tion is half finished. The hotel
will be four stories and a base
ment, seven feet In the clear,
with DreSsed brick fronts nn
Main and Ksplanade. Tho walls
will be constructed of Klamath
county red brick. The triangu
lar corner will be finished with
marble steps and a large vesti
bule. Natural hot water from
the springs with some cily water
will serve the 31 baths.
Between July, 1910, and May,
1011, there wcro no stories to
indicate that the 3rd and Main
hotel venture had been success
ful. In early October. Jumes J.
Hill, "The Empire Builder," an
nounced at Bend his intention
of spending $1,000,000 in the ex
tension of the line south to con
ned with the Pacific & Kuslern.
Heul estate men knew that their
time hud come as tha Oregon
Trunk would be In operution
then to Crescent in Klumuth
county und It would be but a
mutter of time before the roll
ruuds pluyed an Important purt
In the development of this coun
i y. Folks were doubly sure
that The Whilo Pelicun would
be tha meeting pluce of tha Pa
cific count's finiinclers.
Llvermore Plans
Klumuth ri-slili-uts, all set for
the opening of Tho White Peli
cun, opened their October 6.
lull, Issues of The Herald and
were advised that "the Liver
more Hotel company will give
Klumuth Fulls a more centrally
located European house thun it
now hus." The fight to keep
business in that purt of town,
4th and Muln, continued.
The Llvermore company "se,-
cured possession of the larger
portion of the Withrow-Mclhuso
building at the southeast corner
of 4th and Muln" and plans
were being made to construct a
new punning on Main in inc
pluce of the frame building,
probiibly around April 1, with
occupancy rendy three months
Inter. This hotel wus to till vc
running water and B0 rooms.
Suid The Herald: "The com
pany, which consists of Mrs.
A. U. Llvermore and her sons,
Arthur and Jesse U , has for
sumc time been looking for a
new location instend of the pres
ent stund at the corner of Main
and Second street and at one
tunc it was thought that the
company would operate the new
While Pelican.
Plnns for the Livcrmore went
n and "the tenants of the
Withrow-Melhasc building up
stairs are all making arrange
ments for new quarters and
most of them huve secured them.
Dr. Mcrrymun removed some
days ago, and County Assessor
Bill Lee will make new head
quarters In the IOOF building.
Justice of the Peace Graves will
probably try to find a room
that is more ample for the re
quirements of a justice and oth
ers who have had quarters in
the same structure will flit."
Lakeside Inn Closed
Admission that the business
district was rapidly advancing
to the east, appears In a story
dated October 16. 1011. an
nouncing the closing of the old
Lakeside Inn.
"An auction sale he-Id at the
Lakeside Inn this morning by
Mrs. M. McMillan to dispose of
the furniture of the old hostelry
marks the closing of one of the
oidest stopping places in Klam
ath Falls, and also emphasizes
that the business center of the
city is rapidly advancing farther
to the east.
"The passing of the Lakeside
Inn. which has writ its fair
share of history in this town,
and the intended removal of the
Livcrmore to Main and 4th In
tho next few weeks, with the
opening of the new White Peli
can hotel about the same time,
"1
mm
Wm 111 !r- h V U
SKiTh sin
-.!l--- r-V-'-i rjar:;.,'-! ..
: -'! if . ."v '-v.-K -,. -. ..; -v" " - - .:
Pride of Klamath and southern Oregon, the above pictures
shore when it ooened its doors
mous hostelries on the Pacific coast. Below, walls of the hotel
the structure the afternoon of Saturday, October . 16, 1926. The
the Balslger Motor company. Main at Esplanade. (Pictures on
and Charles Stark).
mark an important epoch in the
hotel life of Klamath Falls."
(The Lakeside Inn stood on the
banks of Link river and last
vestiges of the hostelry arc now
being razed for the proposed
Veterans Memorial Park.)
It wos almost daily copy,
now, as the White Pelican was
Hearing completion. October
17. 1911:
"J. E. Brower, manauer of the
new While Pelican hotel, which
is expected to open with elab
orate proceedings including a
banquet, lias been joined here
by his new chief clerk, E. H.
Louser; steward. C. A. Hoffman,
and a brother of the last named,
H. Hoffman, who will have
charge of the engineering depart
ment of the new hostelry.
Imported Talent
"The Huffman brothers are
fiom the Palace and Fairmont
hotels, San Francisco. About 100
guests are expected to come
lrom Portland by a special train
to attend the ceremonies and in
augural dinner, and invitations
have already been extended. Mr.
Brower hus a number of pen
nants to advertise the hotel and
these will be placed in conspicu
ous places."
At a council meeting of that
week, a saloon license was "ap
parently granted" to James H.
Driscoll, un employe of the
Klamath Development company.
The ladies were shopping
here and in San Francisco, still
referred 1o as 'The City" by the
oldtimcrs, for the gala opening.
Mr. Looser, the chief clerk, an
nounced that the price of plates
at the opening banquet would
be S3, instead of the "fancy
prices which have been ru
mored." "The ceremonies incident to
the commencement of hospital
ity by the big, new hostelry,
will take place on Saturday
night, December 2, 1911, and a
large company of specially in
BALS
Main At Esplanade
The White Pelican Hotel
December 3, 1911, and justly
vited guests are expected to be
on hand to enjoy the occasion,
in addition to the local people
who have been invited to at
tend. Special Train Run
"It is understood," The Her
ald reports, "that for the benefit
of 100 or so guests from Port
land, a special train will run
Horn that city to' Klamath Falls
for the doings. A large corps
of waiters to be imported from
Son Francisco at heavy expense
is understood to be one of the
items contemplated by the man
agement. A local orchestra has
been engaged through James
Ncwnham, the cornet player."
Again the Llvermore is given
Page 1 notice as The Herald an
nounces on November 2, 1911.
that "hammer and saw are
being kept busy now on the
W ithrow-Meihase building to
house its guests by November
14. The company will conduct
two hotels, both at 4th and
Main and 3rd and Main."
But the Liveimore was small
punkins compared to the flurry
caused by the elegant White
Pelican. Reservations were
pouring In and Mr. Louser was
'puzzled to know where to put
all of the people." A full house
was satisfactory even in those
days.
"When the new White Pelican
opens its doors on Thanksgiving
Day. a particular reason why
its promoters will give thanks is
that the house will be full to the
brim."
So that guests could be ac
commodated, Mr. Louser said
he planned to bring two sleep
ing cars here for the help which
would include about 40 people,
clerks, bellboys and men and
women of all work.
No Laughing Matter
The White Pelican manage
ment stood, right from the start,
against levity of any kind as
pertained to its hostelry. A
THE
Ob
COMPANY
YOUR FORD DEALER FOR .23 YEARS
show The White Pelican hotel
won fame as one of the most fa-
crumble in the fire which leveled
hotel stood on the present site of
this page courtesy oi E. B. Hall
menu for the opening banquet
was published and a careless
reader sent in this:
"One cannot help wondering
just why you are to serve petit
pois (little peas) with the dessert
at your very swell (?) dinner. Jt
is to laugh."
t llTI 11 nirinailiaiinil aaaiaataaaajiaaaaaaaaiiaaaiiiiii i mm I ail i- ... ,'...,l
The vine festooned dining room of The White Pelican hotel was not only famous for its
gracious Interior, but the food was as fine as anywhere in the country. Orchestras played
for dinner dances, fresh flowers decked the tables and here the entertaining was don by the
town for many years. !
PRESENT HOME OF
1 1 1
History Linked With
City Development
Replied Mr. Louser:
"It certainly 'Is to laugh' at
the decided ignorance displayed
in the above missive. The menu
published several days ago
showed very plainly that 'petit
fours' would be served as part
of the dessert on the banquet
menu of the White Pelican open
ing.
There Is quite a difference
between petit fours (assorted
small cakes) and petit pois
(small peas), showing that the
person's knowledge of such mat
ters is extremely meager. Our
steward Is not capable of mak
ing such preposterous mistakes.
and the party in question needs
some extensive schooling on
matters pertaining to the cui
sines of hotelism."
With this verbal sniff. Mr.
Lxjuser said that crews were
working day and night to finish
the hotel.
Townsfolks Wonder
Laboring with each passing
hour the townsfolks began to
wonder how the hotel could be
put in shipshape for the open
ing. Said The Herald:
Others may have their
troubles, but oh, you White Peli
can hotel men."
Spaces other than to be actu
ally occupied by the hotel were
being rented. The corner store
oom was taken over by Clar
ence H. Underwood with a drug
store and he also took the other
Main street room for a store to
contain sporting goods, fishing
lacme, cameras and such. The
cigar stand in the lobby was his
concession also.
And now for the christening
of the hotel which had been
table talk for two long years:
ine dedication ot the White
Pelican hotel, the most preten
tious enterprise in this part pf
the country and one of the finest
hostelries on the Pacific coast,
was formally christened.
'The ceremony, likewise the
bottle, was in the keeping of
Miss Louise Benson, daughter of
Judge and Mrs. H. L. Benson of
this city, and the breaking of
the bottle against the hotel at
ihe entrance by Miss Morrow
was witnessed by a large num
ber of invited guests, both from
this city and Portland, San
Francisco and other cities.
Officers on Hand
"All the officers of the Klam
ath Development company. Pres
ident S. O. Johnson, Vice Presi
dent G. X. Wendling, Treasurer
;W. Paul Johnson and Secretary
D. O. Williams, were on hand.
A long list of prominent
guests from cities up and down
the Facinc coast, attended the
opening which was climaxed the
next evening, December 3, with
the elaborate banquet where
280 persons were seated in the
ivy decorated dining room.
Judge Benson presided and
Mayor Fred T. Sanderson of
Klamath Falls responded with
references to "strategic" advan
ixi 1 1 1
tages of this city. Silver bon
bon boxes were presented to the
women as favors and a booklet
by Mr. Louser was at the Plata
of each guest.
The hotel appeared to operate
without a hitch after the formal
opening although two weeks
later an item seeped Into the
paper discussing the "temporary
coolness" of some of the guest
as the hot water system ap
peared to be unsatisfactory. A
pump was ordered from New
York and the management as
sured guests that it would toon
be warm as toast.
Dutch Room Attractive
To those who frequented the
White Pelican hotel, one of the
most attractive rooms was the
Dutch room which was installed
not long after the opening. The
room was next to the bar and
had an entrance from Esplanade.
The mural ornamentation In
cluded beer kegs in bas relief.
utile Dutchmen in the same
variety, tapping kegs and look
ing joyful just like the little
whiskered men in Rip Van
Winkle."
With the opening of The White
Pelican, the hotel soon became
the center of entertainment.
Private parties were given in
the spacious dining room where
dinner dances were given dur
ing the winter seasons. The
ladies' lounge was the scene of
many elaborate teas planned by
the chef, Peter Cravetti, and
Sunday dinner out" meant tak
ing the family to the White Pel
ican where the table service
stressed the plump bird, en
graved on each piece of silver
and on the green wine glasses
and crystal ware.
J. E. Brower was succeeded
as manager of The White Peli
can by Chief Clerk E. H. Lou
ser. The next manager left be
hind him only a memory of his
cello playing accomplishments
and old timers could not re
member his name. Walter Innis
served as manager for a time
and joint managership was han
dled following innis by a pair
named (Jonway and Ingram.
Bert Hall, now operator of
Hotel Hall at 4th and Main,
was manager of The White
Pelican for a number ot years
and he was succeeded by a
man named Short. A. G. Mor
rison replaced Short and was
the manager when we first
came here. Hope Kilbourne
was manager of the hotel at
the time. of the fire. -
The gracious hospitality of the
White Pelican will live long for
those who were entertained
there.
IE4. Nl. Apprtciallva U ttsresscd im
many KUmath Falli rctldtols wha
anawcred qaaallana and valanuared In
formatlan in retard ta tha biliary ef -Tha
Wnlla Pelican betel. Especially ara
we (ratefal ta Bert Hall, ene-lime man
ager ef the hetel, wne made saleable
increitlena and presided the Met af betel
manareraef the fameaa aid hoilelrjX-S.
111
Phone 3121